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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23772745">cherry blossom child</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/firstlove_latespring/pseuds/firstlove_latespring'>firstlove_latespring</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>life's a cake, have a slice [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>SEVENTEEN (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Birthday Party, Children, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Fluff, M/M, MINGYU AND JIHOON HAVE A SON, Mentioned Hong Jisoo | Joshua, Mentioned Wen Jun Hui | Jun, Mentioned Xu Ming Hao | The8, Minor Boo Seungkwan/Chwe Hansol | Vernon, Minor Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan, Minor Jeon Wonwoo/Lee Seokmin | DK, Minor Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Chan | Dino, Non-Explicit Sex, Original Character(s), Parent-Child Relationship, Slice of Life, Soft Kim Mingyu, Soft Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Spring, cause ya know theyre married but they still like to get it on sometimes, it's just mentioned here and there, theyre all married and have kids huhu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:40:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,618</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23772745</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/firstlove_latespring/pseuds/firstlove_latespring</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Mingyu was born at the beginning of spring. Jihoon thinks that it suits him very well. He shares a lot of traits with the season: brightness, warmth, beauty. Jihoon thinks that it suits their son too. Maru was born towards the end of spring, nearly a summer child. He was born in the midst of cherry blossoms and the reawakening of the earth. They think it's the reason why Maru’s such a spirited kid. He’s full of life, just like the season.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>~</p><p>it's a gyuhoon kid-fic! featuring their son Maru, their friends, their family, and the beauty and warmth of spring</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Mingyu/Lee Jihoon | Woozi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>life's a cake, have a slice [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712572</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>First Love Late Spring</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>cherry blossom child</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hello!</p><p>before anything, i just want to say thank you to everyone who was a part of this fic fest!! from my lovely partner in crime, to our wonderful writers, thank you thank you thank you so much! i cant believe we made <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWgA-YIWoAUEKfD?format=png&amp;name=small">this tweet</a> into a reality HAHA</p><p>it's been a few months since this all started and im glad to see the end result of this project making people happy!</p><p>and thank you kind readers for supporting us and supporting svt! i hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. i hope the works in this fic fest give u comfort and an escape from the world even if it's just for a short time.</p><p>this fic is me projecting my longing for a loving, long term relationship and one day, a baby of my own ㅠㅡㅠ. i also made a <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2nXBPeBYPs7NTRYHLI64F2?si=-vnvUlQgRHmn03WODbaTvA">playlist</a> for this fic!</p><p>thanks again and happy reading!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*＊✿❀ 1 ❀✿＊*</p>
</div>“Maru, what do you want for your birthday this year?” Mingyu asks his son.<p>Maru looks up from the plate of blueberries he has been counting for the past five minutes. He hums as he thinks, plopping a berry into his mouth.</p><p>He’s turning five this year. Last year he asked his dads for a soccer ball and they always manage to find some time to kick the ball around the backyard. And the year before that, he asked for one of those 64 piece crayon sets so that he could draw with his Papa when he’d paint.</p><p>Mingyu and Jihoon have raised him to be able to ask for what he wants but not to the point that they’ve spoiled him into a demanding child. And while Maru can be unpredictable sometimes, he’s never unreasonable. Mingyu is confident that he and Jihoon will be able to give Maru the gift he asks for this year too.</p><p>“Papa, I want a baby! I want someone to play with!” Maru tells him.</p><p>A what?!</p><p>Mingyu drops the wooden spoon he was holding into the kimchi stew simmering on the stove. Once again, he’s completely caught off guard by his son. He immediately tries to fish for the spoon in the pot but only ends up burning his fingertips and yelping.</p><p>“Papa! Papa! Are you okay?” Maru shouts, surprised by Mingyu’s loud yell. He’s trying to hold in tears as he quickly puts his hand under cold water at the sink. He hears Maru jump off his seat at the table and then feels him pull at his pant leg. “Papa, does it hurt? Should I call Daddy?”</p><p>“No, no, I’m okay, baby,” Mingyu assures him in a tight voice. His fingers look okay. It's only a little red but they’re still throbbing. He’s definitely going to have to remove his wedding ring for the time being and wrap his hand up. “Papa was just surprised and clumsy.”</p><p>“I’ll call Daddy!” Maru said, rushing towards Mingyu’s handphone on the table, “And then I’ll give you kisses so that you feel better later, Papa!”</p><p>“Okay, call Daddy but tell him not to worry,” Mingyu instructs him, turning off the stew. The search for the spoon will have to wait for a little bit. “I’m going to look for our first aid kit.”</p><p>“Okay!” Maru gave him a thumbs up as he calls up Jihoon on speed-dial. Mingyu hears Jihoon pick up with a gruff, “Hello, Mingyu?” as he walks into the bathroom in search of bandages and aloe vera.</p><p>“Daddy, Papa got hurt!” Maru tells him, sounding a little too unfazed. Accidents have happened in the kitchen, no matter how much they have baby-proofed and Mingyu-proofed everything. “He put the big spoon in our dinner and then yelled like this!”</p><p>Maru proceeds to screech into the receiver, a sound that probably was not fun to hear over the phone. Jihoon is silent when Mingyu comes back to the kitchen, hand slathered in gel and wrapped up as best as he could with only his non-dominant hand. He hears Jihoon speak. “Maru, can you please give the phone to Papa? Is he there?”</p><p>“He’s here now!” Maru confirms, holding up his arms so that Mingyu can scoop him up to carry him. Mingyu manages with one hand as his son presses his phone to his ear.</p><p>“Hello, honey?” Mingyu asks. Mingyu can hear the sound of a closing car door in the background, and checks the clock on the wall. It’s earlier than when they usually expect Jihoon to leave his studio. Now Mingyu kinda feels bad for making him worry. “I’m okay. It's only a little burn. Are you on the way home right now?”</p><p>“Mingyu, I was so worried!” Jihoon finally speaks. He lets out a deep breath and Mingyu can picture what he probably looks like right now: eyes shut, brow furrowed, and frowning. “I’m hitching a ride with Seokmin. We’re on our way now.”</p><p>“Okay, take care,” Mingyu sighs, “I’m sorry, honey, it’s just--”</p><p>Mingyu hesitates. He doesn’t want to begin this conversation on the phone or in front of his son. Not yet anyway. He’s going to have to wait for Jihoon to come home so they can talk over it face to face.</p><p>“Just?” Jihoon inquires, waiting for him to explain himself. </p><p>“I was clumsy and not thinking. I’m fine. I really am,” Mingyu tells him. The aloe vera has helped soothe the pain. Maru reaches for the wrapped hand and gingerly brings it to his lips for a kiss. He butts his way into their conversation too. “Daddy, I gave Papa a kiss so it should be okay now!”</p><p>“Maybe Daddy should give Papa a kiss too, when he gets home,” Mingyu teases, distracting himself and husband from his little accident. He hears Seokmin laugh out loud. “Am I on speaker?”</p><p>“Yes,” Jihoon says, groaning as he pretends to hate it when Mingyu gets all greasy on him. “Regrettably so.”</p><p>“We’re almost there, Mingyu,” Seokmin tells him, “I’ll give you a big fat smooch too when we arrive.”</p><p>“Yay! More kisses!” Maru cheers, kicking his feet in the air. “Can I also get smooches from Uncle Seokmin?”</p><p>“Aigoo, of course, Maru!” Seokmin coos over the phone. Mingyu can hear his bright smile, always wide when he speaks. “I’ll give you lots of kisses and tangerines too!”</p><p>“Yay!” Maru is struggling to get out of his father’s arms in his excitement. “I’m going to go wait for you at the door so please hurry up!”</p><p>“I can already see our front lawn,” Jihoon tells him. Mingyu releases his son and watches him run to the front door, screaming for his daddy and Uncle Seokmin. </p><p>Mingyu imagines having one more small, screaming child to welcome his husband home with. One more tiny human to raise and feed and love. Jihoon walks in with their son in his arms, eyes searching for Mingyu and the reassurance that he’s okay.</p><p>Mingyu imagines and then his heart aches.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*＊✿❀ 2 ❀✿＊*</p>
</div>“Can I ask why you guys don’t have kids yet?” Mingyu asks Seokmin and Wonwoo as he’s setting up the dishes to dry in the rack. “Or like, if you guys plan to have them?”<p>Seokmin lets out a soft laugh and shoots a look at Wonwoo, who’s been quietly nursing his post-dinner glass of wine up until Mingyu asks his question. Mingyu wipes his hands off and leans against the island counter, joining his friends there.</p><p>“Well, I guess we’re just enjoying being married,” Wonwoo says, his tone nonchalant as he looks from Mingyu to his husband and then back to Mingyu. “We’ve only been married for two years, you know.”</p><p>“Yeah, we didn’t meet each other in uni or high school like you guys,” Seokmin says, in a slightly sheepish tone, “And when we did get together it took us a while to finally pop the question.”</p><p>“Not all of us can be Seungkwan and Vernon,” Wonwoo chuckles. He’s right. They can’t all have the luxury of meeting the love of your life in high school and getting married straight out of college. Not even Mingyu and Jihoon got married right away after graduation, but that’s another story for another day.</p><p>“Yeah, but so you guys don’t have plans to have kids at some point?” Mingyu presses on, pouring himself a hefty glass of cabernet, “I mean, I love Maru but I know having kids isn’t for everyone. I’m a little curious. Sorry...”</p><p>“Don’t be sorry,” Seokmin tells him with a kind smile and gentle hand on his shoulder, “We have definitely talked about this before. We’re just, you know, taking our time. We’d love to have one or two but not right now.”</p><p>“And definitely not as many kids as Jeonghan and Seungcheol,” Wonwoo adds, smiling at his husband. “I don’t know how Jeonghan handles taking care of four kids.”</p><p>“Especially the big one he calls his husband,” Seokmin laughs. Everyone knows how much of a baby Seungcheol is that they can talk behind his back comfortably like this. “But what’s up, Gyu? I can feel like this isn’t the thing you really want to talk about.”</p><p>Mingyu pouts at his wine glass. Seokmin has always been really good at reading him. Maybe it’s a perk of being same-age friends?</p><p>“It’s because…” Mingyu gulps before raising his eyes to look at his friends. “This afternoon, I asked Maru what he wanted for his birthday and he said he wanted a younger sibling.”</p><p>“Oh,” was all that Wonwoo said, meanwhile Seokmin let out a big, “Awww…”</p><p>“It really took me off guard and that’s why I hurt myself,” Mingyu admits, feeling a little shy now.</p><p>“That’s really cute though,” Wonwoo tells him. “How do you feel about it?”</p><p>“Well, I’m not entirely opposed to it,” Mingyu says, before drinking the rest of his glass. “But I don’t know if we’re ready for another one. We’ve been so content these days and I’m afraid of changing things but I also love being a father and raising a son with Jihoon.”</p><p>“It’s okay to be afraid of change, Mingyu,” Wonwoo reassures him, “You guys are pretty settled down now and it is a big decision to make.”</p><p>“But you know,” Seokmin says, his eyes soft and understanding, “You’ll never know until you ask Jihoon.”</p><p>“Ask me what?” </p><p>The three of them look to the staircase where Jihoon is descending from. Jihoon looks so soft in his cashmere baby blue sweater and all Mingyu wants to do is to collect him in his arms and hold him tight. But the question lingers in the air and Mingyu’s mouth moves before he can think.</p><p>“The wine,” Mingyu says, thrusting his glass out to show Jihoon, “It’s good.”</p><p>“Yeah, where is it from?” Wonwoo plays along, “I haven’t had a cabernet this good in a while.”</p><p>“It’s sweet,” adds Seokmin, flustered and fluttering his lashes. He didn’t have a single drop because he’s driving. “I like it.”</p><p>“It’s from Joshua. I think they got it from the duty free from their trip back from the States.” Jihoon tells them, making his way to his husband. Mingyu opens his arms and Jihoon makes himself comfortable in them. Mingyu smiles into Jihoon’s hair, glad that his husband will come to him anyway without having to say anything at all. “Sorry I took so long. Maru asked for three bedtime stories tonight.”</p><p>“Kids will be kids,” Wonwoo nods in understanding, “My dad used to read to me and my brother until I could do it for us.”</p><p>“My mom tried reading me to sleep, but it would make me even more excited so she would just let me run around the house before bedtime,” Seokmin recalls with a smile. Everyone laughs softly, all visibly tired from their respective days.</p><p>“Well, we’ll go now. I have an early shipment tomorrow at the store so I gotta be in bed before 10 myself,” Wonwoo says, getting up from his seat. Seokmin follows his husband and puts an arm around him as he gathers his things.</p><p>“You too, Seokmin. Don’t stay up too late. We’re recording demos tomorrow.” Jihoon reminds him. He yawns, which in turn makes Mingyu yawn too.</p><p>“I’ll make sure to let him run around the house before we settle in,” Wonwoo teases, nose scrunching up in fondness. Seokmin laughs with his own nose scrunch to match. He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at his husband. “I can think of other ways to tire myself out.”</p><p>“Ew, don't be gross in my kitchen!” Mingyu exclaims as Jihoon laughs along in his arms, “This is a sacred space!”</p><p>“We’re going! We’re going!” Seokmin and Wonwoo laugh as put on their shoes. Jihoon thanks Seokmin once again for driving and Wonwoo thanks him for letting him catch up for dinner. Mingyu and Jihoon watch their friends go out the door and wave goodbye to them through their window. When they can no longer see the lights of their car, Mingyu starts to clean up.</p><p>“I’ll do it tonight, honey,” Jihoon stops him by grasping his right wrist. “You’re hurt.”</p><p>“It’s just a small scalding,” Mingyu tries to reassure him, frowning as Jihoon steals a plate from his grasp. “I’m fine. I can do this.”</p><p>“Okay,” Jihoon concedes, allowing Mingyu to pick up the chopsticks off their island, “But let me wash the dishes. You can finish your glass and let me know what you really want to ask me.”</p><p>“You heard us?” Mingyu grows nervous. If he already heard, then what does he think?</p><p>“Only the last bit,” Jihoon says, taking the gathered cutleries from his husband’s hands. “I know you guys weren’t really talking about the wine. Seokmin blinks really fast when he lies.”</p><p>Mingyu gulps. Is this really the right time to talk about it? He’s nervous but he knows better than to not be honest with Jihoon. He wants to but it’s still a lot to talk about, a lot to process.</p><p>Jihoon turns on the faucet and brings a spoon to wash under the stream, but the way he’s holding it makes the water splash all over his sweater and neck. He yells, surprised at the sudden wetness. And then he turns off the faucet, and calls for Mingyu.</p><p>“Honey, I’m all wet. Could you get me another shirt?”</p><p>Mingyu nods, dashing to their bedroom. He guesses that the conversation will have to wait for a while.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*＊✿❀ 3 ❀✿＊*</p>
</div>“Honey, let’s have another one,” Mingyu whispers to him one night after making love.<p>“Noooo I’m tired and my thighs hurt,” Jihoon whines, wrapping the blanket around himself tighter. He really isn’t getting any younger. His muscles ache and his back hurts, amongst other things. “You can go help yourself in the bathroom.”</p><p>Mingyu chuckles, landing a warm hand on Jihoon’s waist. Only touching and not to tease, thankfully. “No, not that. Let’s give Maru a younger sibling.”</p><p>“What?” Jihoon exclaims, turning to face his husband. It’s obvious that he’s trying to tame his features into a neutral expression but his eyes tell Mingyu that he’s very much surprised. “Another kid?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Mingyu’s smiling at him fondly as he makes his case. “Maru’s turning 5 soon. I think four to five years between siblings is a good age gap, don’t you think?”</p><p>Jihoon doesn’t know what to say. He’s never had a sibling or anything close to it until he met his friends. Mingyu and his sister’s age gap is 4 years and they get along pretty well. Seungcheol and Chan’s age gap is five years. Have they been getting along well? Doesn’t Jeonghan still baby Chan even though he’s about to turn thirty?</p><p>“Hey, don’t worry yourself out,” Mingyu frowns, cupping his husband’s face as he furrows his brows in thought, “It’s just something I’ve been meaning to talk with you about. We don’t have to talk about it in full tonight. I just… I just wanted to get it off my chest.”</p><p>The moonlight betrays Jihoon's face. He evidently looks overwhelmed. He's trying his best not to frown and Mingyu can hear the gears shift in his head. Mingyu knows that he shouldn't picked a better moment to ask, not when they're still breathless and aching. But the moment felt right in Mingyu's heart, and the words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them. It felt good to speak it into existence instead of allowing it to fester in his mind.</p><p>Jihoon doesn't say anything for a moment, then two, then three. Mingyu knows he's probably thinking too much so he presses a kiss to his forehead and rubs his thumb over his husband's cheekbone, urging him to return and pull away from his thoughts. Jihoon blinks at Mingyu, as if just remembering that he was there the whole time. It makes Mingyu kind of guilty to dishevel his husband like this but then Jihoon lets out a tight breath and nods, and returns to Mingyu.</p><p>“Okay,” Jihoon nods, nuzzling his face into Mingyu’s palm. “We’ll talk about it soon.”</p><p>“Okay,” Mingyu promises with a kiss. And another, and another. Mingyu still has to get up so they can clean and he doesn't want to leave Jihoon all alone for too long. But he tells himself they'll have time to properly talk about this. They'll have all the time in the world to talk about having another child. Mingyu presses one last kiss on Jihoon's mouth before he gets up. “Soon…”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*＊✿❀ 4 ❀✿＊*</p>
</div>Jihoon has always loved spring. Although he was born at the cusp of autumn and winter, he finds the beauty of springtime always magical. It’s amazing seeing the gloom of winter melt away and make way for greener, warmer days filled with life and brightness.<p>Mingyu was born at the beginning of spring. Jihoon thinks that it suits him very well. He shares a lot of traits with the season: brightness, warmth, beauty. Jihoon thinks that it suits their son too. Maru was born towards the end of spring, nearly a summer child. He was born in the midst of cherry blossoms and the reawakening of the earth. They think it's the reason why Maru’s such a spirited kid. He’s full of life, just like the season.</p><p>It’s Maru’s fifth birthday now. It’s been five years since Mingyu and Jihoon have been blessed with a child. Preparations are fully underway with a small weekend get together with all their family, their friends and their kids. </p><p>They haven’t really tried any other form of celebration that hasn’t been held in the spacious backyard of their house. After all, it’s what convinced them to buy the house. They had to  hustle to pay off half their mortgage before they considered having Maru.</p><p>And speaking of having Maru…</p><p>They celebrated Maru’s first birthday in the very same backyard. First birthdays are always important and more so when apparently your whole future depends on what item you pick as a barely 400 day old baby. </p><p>Jihoon doesn’t remember his own <em>doljabi</em> but he has pictures to prove that he reached for a tiny guitar. His parents were thrilled and immediately sent him off to music lessons as soon as he could remember a tune. It did pay off as Jihoon continues to bear a great love of music and a profession that thankfully allows him to provide for his family while still allowing him to create and write music.</p><p>Mingyu had picked up a pair of chopsticks and immediately dropped them right after. And while Mingyu doesn’t cook professionally, he still provides his family with warm and tasty meals every day, even as he works freelance for digital media. </p><p>Mingyu had once dreamt of getting a master’s degree in arts and to become a professor, but his dream changed when he realized that he wanted to start a family with Jihoon. Now he’s a full time house spouse and father to Maru, who still somehow magically finds time to do commissions, cook, clean, and enjoy hobbies on the side. </p><p>Money has never been an issue between them, thankfully. The house has almost been paid for entirely, and Jihoon makes enough for them to be able to live comfortably with the occasional nice restaurant dinner for himself and Mingyu or the latest trendy toy for Maru. Taxes and bills are an inconvenience, but never really a pain for them to handle.</p><p>Another child would mean another mouth to feed, another person to raise. Jihoon isn’t against it entirely, but now with their first child turning five, he understands the financial implications of having one. Much more to have another one.</p><p>It keeps Jihoon up one night, unable to fall asleep even after being kissed thoroughly by his husband. He throws a fluffy robe on, and looks for something to drink in the kitchen. He’s staring off into space, when he watches a loud gust of wind shake the cherry blossom tree in their backyard. It came with the house, and over time has grown alongside Jihoon’s family.</p><p>Some flowers break off and fall gracefully to the ground, while others manage to persist and hold on. It makes Jihoon smile, and momentarily makes him forget about all of the thoughts taking up space in his mind.</p><p>He moves to get a glass of water from the pitcher in their refrigerator but pauses when he sees a picture of Maru stuck to the freezer door. It’s a photographer Mingyu took during Maru’s  <em>doljabi</em> back when Maru was so tiny he looked almost smaller than the pineapples they put next to him on the table. </p><p>Jihoon smiles, remembering how everyone had cooed over his son who had momentarily fallen asleep while everyone was taking pictures of him from every possible angle. They had placed the table under the shade of their blossom tree, so that Maru wouldn’t overheat in his traditional dress.</p><p>When it was time for Maru to pick what would decide his fate, a breeze flushed through and allowed flowers to fall onto Maru and the table. The baby had sneezed and uncurled his tiny fist to pluck off a blossom from his head. And though everyone said it didn’t count and Maru moved on to reach for the thick wads of money on the table, Jihoon still believes that Maru had picked the flowers first, accepting his fate as a cherry blossom child.</p><p>Jihoon hums to himself, taking a large sip of his water and feeling infinitely lighter and better. Jihoon and Mingyu haven’t really gotten around to really talking about having another child since they’ve been busy with their day to day lives and Maru’s birthday celebration to have a chance to sit down and talk. But after they do, Jihoon thinks that they should talk to Maru about it too. After all, it was their little one who brought it up in the first place.</p><p>“Hey,” Mingyu greets him as he walks back into the bedroom. He’s sitting up, covers pooling around his waist, and bedhead gone wild. The light of the moon shows how his well-earned muscles ripple with movement as he reaches out for Jihoon. “Why’re you up this late?”</p><p>“I was just thinking and I got up for some water,” Jihoon tells him, wriggling himself and his glass of water into his husband’s arms. Jihoon doesn’t have to ask if Mingyu wants to drink. His husband purses his lips and accepts the glass when Jihoon brings it to his mouth. He wipes away a stray drop that’s slowly sliding off of Mingyu’s chin afterwards. Mingyu turns his head to kiss his palm.</p><p>“I love you,” Mingyu tells him in a tender voice, a little scratchy from sleep but Jihoon loves the sound of it anyway. Jihoon leans forward to press a kiss to Mingyu’s forehead, his nose mole, his mouth. They’re touching foreheads now, breathing in each other’s space, as he speaks slowly against his lips. “I love you too.”</p><p>Mingyu grins, as bright as the moon. He wraps his arms Jihoon tighter as they lie back down, face to face, enveloped in each other’s warm. Jihoon puts his head on Mingyu’s chest and falls asleep to the beats of his heart.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*＊✿❀ 5 ❀✿＊*</p>
</div>“You take a cup of rice and you put the same amount of water into the pot, okay, baby?” Mingyu instructs his son. They have a pot each in front of them, a bowl of water and their container for rice in between them. “So if I put three cups of rice, how many cups of water do I need to put in the pot?”<p>Maru counts on his fingers. One. Two. “Three!” He answers with the number of cups counted on his hand. </p><p>“Very good!” Mingyu praises him. They share bright smiles, big enough to make them both squeeze their eyes into thin crescents. Maru’s teeth are still growing but he has a few sharp ones that glisten in the front, like his fathers. “Let’s count how many cups we put in. One, two, three!”</p><p>Maru follows his dad’s instructions, scooping out three full cups of rice out from the container and dumping it into the pot. “Like this, Papa?”</p><p>“Yes! Baby is so good at this!” Mingyu cheers Maru on. The laugh their son lets out is a beautiful sound. Jihoon wants to keep it close to his heart right next to where Mingyu’s laughter is. “You’re going to be better at cooking than Papa!”</p><p>“Yay! I’m going to cook!” Maru yells, all hyped up. He holds his pot with both hands and picks it up to show Jihoon too. “Look, Daddy! I’m making rice!”</p><p>“That’s really good,” he grins at his son. “I really like that. That’s my favorite.”</p><p>After sitting down with Maru and explaining to their son that a baby wasn’t something that they could easily get for him from the store or through online shopping, they asked Maru again what he wanted as a present for his birthday. This time around he asked them if they could teach them how to make rice. And as simple and easy as the request was, once again it wasn’t something they expected their soon to be five year old to ask for. Their little one always manages to amaze them with how he keeps them on their toes.</p><p>“Papa always makes the rice when we eat,” Maru explained to them slowly as if he were the adult and they were the children, “I want to help Papa so that he won’t be very tired after cooking.”</p><p>Mingyu had shed a tear right there and then, touched deeply by his son’s reasoning. Jihoon tried wiping away the first tear but the tenderness of the action coupled with how soft Mingyu was already only made him cry more. Maru had been surprised but quickly sprung to his feet to fetch the roll of paper towels for his father.</p><p>“Papa, don’t cry! Here, have a tissue!” Maru told him holding out the thick roll near his face. Jihoon couldn’t help but laugh at how earnestly their son had acted. They really did raise him well.</p><p>So here they are now, the day before Maru’s party, all three of them in the kitchen, a rare feat of its own. With Jihoon working full time on the weekdays, he only steps in to cook on the weekends. And that’s only if they don’t have plans to eat out or visit their friends. Mingyu does all the cooking and cleaning. He always reassures Jihoon that he enjoys doing it. </p><p>Mingyu laughs out loud and it makes Jihoon’s chest swell with joy. “Your Daddy loves white rice so much he can eat it every day even without any other dishes!”</p><p>“So Daddy loves rice?” Maru asks him, eyes sparkling at the delight of learning something new about Jihoon. “Like how he loves Papa and Maru?”</p><p>“I love Maru and Papa more than rice, baby,” Jihoon chuckles. Oh, his heart is full today, absolutely bursting at the seams, ready to break and overflow. “I love you so much.”</p><p>“I love you too, Daddy!” Maru smiles, wide and missing a few baby teeth. “I love you also, Papa!”</p><p>“I love you too, baby,” Mingyu makes kissy faces at their son. When he turns to face Jihoon, the smile he gives him is mischievous but always charming. Mingyu even has the audacity to wink at him shamelessly. “And I love Daddy Jihoonie also.”</p><p>“You’re gross,” Jihoon mutters under his breath as he goes to Mingyu to give him a tight back hug. He sighs against Mingyu’s hair, burying his nose into the scent of flowers and peaches, and the scalp of his husband. “I’m really happy right now.”</p><p>Between the warmth of the soft spring sunlight streaming in through the kitchen windows, their son’s beaming face right in front of him and Jihoon clinging from behind, there was no other feeling Mingyu had in his heart right now other than pure happiness. He matched Maru’s smile and held Jihoon’s hands in his. “Me too, honey. Me too.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*＊✿❀ 6 ❀✿＊*</p>
</div>"Oh! Oh no, the cake!" Seungkwan shouts as Jihoon takes a big swipe of the icing to smear onto Mingyu's face.<p>Mingyu, who was distracted by Seungkwan’s cries, isn’t able to dodge Jihoon’s hand of buttercream. It lands on his cheek and reaches his mouth as he turns to face his husband.</p><p>“Hey!” Mingyu whines, securing the arm that isn’t carrying Maru around Jihoon’s waist so that he can’t get away. Maru barks out a laugh, giddy and enjoying his father’s predicament. </p><p>He takes a bit of the buttercream on Mingyu’s face and plops it onto his father’s nose. He cheers, happy at contributing to the chaos of cream on Mingyu’s face. Jihoon hears the clicks of camera shutters, and knows that this is all being documented faithfully. Laughter surrounds them. Their parents, their friends and their kids, they’re all here to celebrate with them.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Boo. Mingyu already promised to make a care for our baby’s birthday,” Vernon tells his husband, who’s mumbling about wishing he had taken more pictures in the natural light.</p><p>“Oh, Bookkeu’s going to love it!” Seungkwan’s pout is quick to turn into a smile.</p><p>“A few more pictures please!” Mingyu’s mom tells them. She’s holding a camera with a lens as long as her forearm. “Look at the camera and smile!”</p><p>Jihoon, Mingyu, and Maru all give their best smiles, canines flashing and eyes shining. </p><p>It’s a picture perfect scene of a happy family. Mingyu’s face covered in pale pink and baby blue icing, one arm carrying their birthday celebrant, the other around Jihoon’s waist, his hold firm and unwavering. The sun is kind today and the wind blows gently, making a few blossoms fall and flutter as they go down.</p><p>“It’s so pretty!” Mingyu’s sister remarks, snapping a lot of pictures with her phone. “The cherry blossoms are awesome!”</p><p>Maru’s birthday song has been sung and the candles blown out. Their son had a small smile on his face when his grandfathers asked him what he’d wished for. “It’s a secret!” Maru told them, a finger pressed to his lips.</p><p>All there’s left to do is to partake of the cake that isn’t on Mingyu’s face. Mingyu tries to lean closer into Jihoon’s space so he can share the cream but Jihoon quickly blocks him with a paper napkin, wiping away the sweetness from his face.</p><p>“Can we eat the cake now?” Jungchan, Seungcheol and Jeonghan’s youngest and only boy, asks. Everyone lets out a kind laugh, which makes the little boy confused. “So we can’t eat the cake?”</p><p>“Maru has to cut his cake first, sweetie,” Jeonghan tells his son. “Remember? You and your sisters had to do it too for your birthday?”</p><p>“What flavor is the cake, Uncle Mingyu?” Seungyeon the middle child asks. Her hair has been done in a neat French braid down the back in order to tell her apart from her sister.</p><p>“It’s carrot cake,” Mingyu answers her, readying the plate and knife for them to cut into the heart shaped cake. “It’s Maru’s favorite.”</p><p>“You can make a cake out of vegetables?” the eldest Jeongyeon gasps, eyes wide with her new discovery. Her hair is in two braids on the side. Seungcheol’s braids have been getting nicer recently. “Dad, can I have a radish cake next year?”</p><p>The man in question is a little perplexed by his daughter’s request. He scratches the back of his neck as he considers her question. “You’re going to have to ask your Uncle Mingyu to make you one.”</p><p>“I hate radishes!” Jungchan puts his foot down. “I don’t want a radish cake!”</p><p>“I don’t want a cake at all!” Seungyeon follows it up. If Maru is a handful, then Jeonghan and Seungcheol need three times the number of hands to deal with their triplets. “I want waffles for my birthday.”</p><p>“You mean <em>our</em> birthday,” Jeongyeon reminds her.</p><p>“Ah, my little angels,” Jeonghan sighs, an apologetic look on his face when he looks at Jihoon. “Settle down, darlings. Let’s have Maru taste his cake before we negotiate a peace treaty.”</p><p>Two responses of “okay” and one question of what “negotiate” means later, Maru is slicing into his carrot and walnut cake with the help of his fathers. The once Instagram worthy, aesthetically pleasing lettering cake Mingyu made himself is cut up into pieces and distributed on paper plates to everyone in the backyard.</p><p>“This is really good, Mingyu,” Seokmin beams, stuffing his face with his portion of the cake. “Please let me in on the recipe.”</p><p>“You’ll have to ask Jihoon’s mom first. It’s her mix and I don’t know if she’s willing to share with people who aren’t married to her only son,” Mingyu tells him with a wide grin, giddy with the praise he’s been receiving left and right.</p><p>“Let’s see about that.” Seokmin sets off with a determined look on his face that melts into a handsome and earnest expression once he starts talking to Jihoon’s mom under the shade of the tree.</p><p>“Your husband sure knows how to get what he wants,” Jihoon teases Wonwoo. They’re standing in the shade of the porch by the sliding glass door that leads to the inside. Wonwoo chuckles, licking frosting off the side of his hand. “I can say the same for you, Jihoon. I gather that he’s already talked to you about what he wants?”</p><p>“<em>What?</em>'' It takes a moment before the realization of Wonwoo’s inquiry makes Jihoon’s cheek bloom red. “He told you guys about it?”</p><p>“Yeah, that night he tried to add his fingers to the kimchi stew,” Wonwoo reminds him. “He said he was a little nervous but Minnie and I tried our best to reassure him that it would be okay.”</p><p>“It is,” Jihoon agrees, picking at his cake and eating the walnuts first. “I think we’re reaching an agreement soon.”</p><p>“Good,” Wonwoo pats him on the back, “It would be nice if we had kids the same age, don’t you think?”</p><p>Jihoon nods and then realizes what Wonwoo had just said. Wonwoo is smiling at him, fiendish and friendly at the same time. But before Jihoon can ask Wonwoo about his statement, Jihoon is being called over for another round of photos but this time with the rest of their family.</p><p>The pictures will come out well, Jihoon is assured of this. It’s another beautiful scene as they gather together three generations of their family under the same cherry blossom tree that sealed Maru’s fate. His mom and his mother-in-law are pulling him into the kitchen after the pictures are taken under the guise of asking for iced lemon water, even though there’s a whole pitcher of it on the refreshments table outside.</p><p>“Our Jihoonie looks so blooming today!” His mother exclaims pinching his cheeks. “Can we expect another grandchild soon?”</p><p>“It would be wonderful if you two had a girl this time,” Mingyu’s mother goes on to say, a wishful look in her eye. “And you could name her Haru to match! We’d love to have a little girl to spoil and cherish!”</p><p>“As if you don’t already spoil and cherish Maru,” Jihoon scoffs, pouring them a glass each of lemon water. Jihoon’s parents got Maru a brand new xylophone in bright colors that will certainly fill their house with its sounds for the coming weeks. And Mingyu’s parents showed up with a bucket’s worth of seaweed soup especially made for the birthday boy. They know Jihoon’s only teasing them but it doesn’t stop his mom from poking him hard on the ribs. </p><p>“Hey, you know he’s our first grandchild! Of course we have to make sure that he’s well-loved!”</p><p>“Ah, but Jihoon, don’t listen to us old hags too much,” laughs Mingyu’s mom, straightening out the collar of Jihoon’s white button down. “You and Mingyu should do whatever you want. You’re still young. Enjoy yourselves.”</p><p>Jihoon’s mom gives him a kiss on the cheek. “We’ll always support you no matter what. We love you three.”</p><p>“I know, we know. We love you too,” Jihoon smiles, giving them both kisses before they leave the kitchen.</p><p>“What were our mothers up to, cornering you in here?” Mingyu asks him as he makes his way to where Jihoon is leaning by the counter, watching the party go on outside. </p><p>Soonyoung has decided to try and carry all the kids at once, but fails to straighten his legs from the squatting position he’s in and crumples into the grass bringing the kids down with him. He can hear the four five year olds complaining as they climb on top of their Uncle Soonyoung. Chan, Seungkwan, and Vernon are all laughing out loud, documenting the whole thing on Vernon’s phone.</p><p>“They told me I was <em>glowing</em>,” Jihoon laughs, settling into the back hug Mingyu traps him in. Their hands find each other over Jihoon’s chest, their matching rings clinking against each other delicately. Jihoon looks up to see Mingyu staring down at him, honey dripping from his eyes. “I guess I have you to thank for that.”</p><p>“Channie told me that Maru told him that he still wants a baby for his birthday present,” Mingyu tells his husband. Jihoon bursts out laughing, just thinking of how Chan had reacted to their little one. Jihoon’s laughter reminds Mingyu of the bubbly wine Joshua, Jun, and Minghao had sent in their stead, alongside a large carrot plushie and copy of <em>The Little Prince</em>. “He told our son that he’d try his best to get him one.”</p><p>“It feels like everyone’s been telling us to have another child,” Jihoon tells Mingyu as they begin to sway together in each other’s hold. </p><p>Jihoon now watches as Seungcheol successfully carries all four children on him, the girls in his arms, Maru on his back, and Jungchan’s arms around his neck. He can hear Jeonghan and Seungkwan swoon over Seungcheol behind their phone cameras, and their parents cheering him on too. Their fathers clap for Seungcheol, and Jihoon can almost hear them reminisce about the times when it was them in Seungcheol’s position.</p><p>Jihoon wonders if Seungcheol in a few years can still do it in the future with five children. Maybe even six, if Wonwoo and Seokmin decide to catch up.</p><p>“But what about you?” Mingyu asks his husband, pressing kisses onto the top of Jihoon’s head. “What’s your heart saying?”</p><p>Jihoon’s heart is saying thank you for the gift of love, from his husband, his son, his family. It’s saying thank you for the friends here and elsewhere, always there for him whenever he needs a friend or two, or twelve. Jihoon’s heart is saying thank you for the warmth of spring and the slight of a strong gust of wind shaking their cherry blossom tree, sprinkling flowers all around their backyard. The petals land on everyone’s head, including Maru’s who laughs, overjoyed and precious, as he holds out his hands to catch more of the falling flowers.</p><p>Maru turns and shouts for Mingyu and Jihoon, a child of the springtime. "Papa! Daddy!"</p><p>Jihoon imagines, and his heart overflows.</p><p>“My heart says that we’re ready,” Jihoon tells Mingyu, looking up and meeting his mouth for a tender kiss. There’s nothing he wants more in this world. With Mingyu and Maru by his side, and his family and friends to support them, he knows they’ll be blessed with another little one soon. Mingyu smiles and Jihoon falls in love just like he did twelve years ago: gladly and without a doubt. </p><p>“We’re ready to have another child.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>some facts i wanted to include before this fic ends:</p><p>1. yes they're all married to each other (with the exception of one couple, maybe we'll find out in a future fic ?)<br/>2. maru is inspired by the a lot of tweets and fanarts ive seen k-carats make!! search up "규훈 마루" on twitter if u wanna see some rlly cute stuff<br/>3. maru is a taurus HAHA it doesnt rlly matter but i wanted to mention it<br/>4. mingyu and jihoon call each other honey because at first i wanted put yeobo but since i removed honorifics for his fic it didnt seem right.<br/>5. i hope i did doljabi justice huhu i used this <a href="https://www.doljabi.com/what-is-doljabi/">website</a> as my source but if anything is inaccurate pls let me know so that i can fix it!<br/>6. the birthday cake is inspired by the beautiful lettering cakes that have been really popular on korean youtube and instagram lately.<br/>7. i named seungcheol and jeonghan's kids after jeongyeon from twice and her sister, seungyeon!! jungchan is lee chan's "full" name and i thought that it fit well with the girls.<br/>8. i really really really wanted to squeeze everyone in but it's already a lot of people so im sorry if junhaoshua are mentioned in only one line. i promise to write more about them in the future! huhu<br/>9. this fic is actually exracted from a much longer, much more plotless fic. i was writing something else at first but then the birthday party scene had plot and i decided to scrap the original fic and write it in this direction instead.<br/>10. i will try to write and publish the parts of the original fic i wrote since it tackles things like how my universe's mingyu and jihoon met, their family life, and bits about their friends too!</p><p>thank you again for reading. please leave kudos, a bookmark, or a comment if you liked this fic! find me on my writing twt <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/honeydokyeom">@honeydokyeom</a> for more gyuhoon chaos, crying, and maybe some memes.</p><p>thanks again and i hope you have a nice day &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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